KAMPALA, Uganda | The Constitutional Court has given the government of Uganda five days to explain why it has failed to provide meals to children under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs.

This started when the Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) petitioned the government in 2023 for allegedly neglecting vulnerable schoolchildren.

The Centre for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT) petition aims to force the state to implement and enforce a national school feeding policy for the most vulnerable students in order to fulfil its constitutional obligation to its citizens.

David Kabanda, the executive director of CEFROHT, stated that the case focuses on a significant weakness in Uganda’s public welfare and education system. “We filed this case because 66% of Ugandan schoolchildren go without food for the entire school day.”

 “Some of these children are developing ulcers; others suffer from chronic health issues such as diabetes and heart disease due to poor or no nutrition. Many are orphans or come from families that cannot afford a single meal a day.” Kabanda added

Kabanda said that, ”We are not demanding that the government feed every child in Uganda, but we are calling on the government to step in for the poorest households for the orphans, the vulnerable, and children from families living in absolute poverty. ”

A panel of judges, led by the Deputy Chief Justice Flavian Zeija, allowed the government to file its responses within five days. If it does not, the petitioners’ submissions will be the only basis for the judgement.

“UPE itself was a recognition that many families cannot afford school,” he said. “But what about feeding these same children when they get to school? What about the orphaned child with no parent to pack lunch? These are the children being forgotten,” Kabanda revealed.

In order to achieve educational and health equity, the petitioners stressed that even a simple, government-sponsored school meal programme for the most underprivileged would be very beneficial.

“We have children who live in rental slums whose families do not have a garden or stable income.” Expecting these parents to feed children daily while the government steps back is to punish children for being born poor.” Kabanda asserted.